𝕞𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕓𝕖𝕥𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕟 || 𝚅𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚎 𝙷𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚛

40. 'what if this is us?'

I spent the rest of the night in Ryland's car. We crossed paths as I was exiting the House, since most people were inside so I could have some space. He offered to drive me home once he saw I was not fine. I rejected his offer because I didn't want to leave without Gigi. So he suggested I stay in his car alone for a while, which I did. He didn't ask me what happened, which I appreciated because he made my comfort his priority. He told me he would inform Gigi about my whereabouts, but I didn't want to preoccupy Gigi. She was probably having fun and I wouldn't want her to go home because of me.

Ryland went back inside and gave me some me time, which helped me calm down. I was still shattered, but I had stopped crying and most of my anger had dissolved by the time Ryland came back to the car and told me he informed Larray I was with him so they wouldn't be worried about me. Ryland stayed with me in his car even after I told him he should go have fun.

He didn't ask, but I told him what happened. Ryland is one of my best friends. We've grown closer in the past weeks, and honestly, since even Jack knows my business now, I felt Ryland could know too. I didn't tell him the gory details, but he got the message and listened to me patiently. We talked until I eventually fell asleep, tired from crying.

Not long later, I woke up hearing the car door opening. Ryland was getting back in the driver's seat and Gigi in the back seat. I was too tired to ask questions, but I think they'll give me an explanation now that I'm done explaining to Gigi yesterday night's events.

"Lena, something isn't right. Things don't add up." Gigi's reply to everything I just said is not what I was expecting to say the least. I expected her to curse out Vinnie, tell me she knew he was bad news all along and maybe even text him a paragraph about how much she hates him. Instead, she seems doubtful of what I told her. I'd normally tend to defend my hypothesis, which states that Vinnie told Jack, but Gigi not immediately taking my side over Vinnie's startles me. So I keep quiet and look back and forth between Gigi and Ryland, who both seem to know something I don't.

"A fight broke out last night at the House while you were in the car." Ryland says, relaxing further into the couch opposite the armchair I'm sitting on. The expression on his face makes me think there's a lot to talk about.

"Oh. Okay." I'm not exactly sure what to do with this information. It is very unusual, given how in my 3 months of living here, a fight has never broken out at a Hype House party. I guess it does explain why we left. Things probably got messy. I wonder how messy it had to have been for us to have to leave. iT doesn't explain why Gigi and I aren't home, though.

"Between Jack and Vinnie." Ryland adds. Now this surprises me.

"Physical?" I ask. I assumed it was, but now that I know who was involved, it seems unbelievable. I can't imagine Vinnie hitting anyone. It's a very foreign idea of him.

"Yeah." Ryland nods. "Vinnie just came downstairs asking where Jack was and when he found him, he punched him. Jack punched him back and then they beat each other up."

It doesn't make sense to me. None of it. Why would Vinnie do that? It's so unlike him. It doesn't even feel like I'm thinking of Vinnie. It doesn't even feel like he had a valid reason to be mad. So what Jack said what he said to me? Vinnie was the one who told him. Jack was never supposed to know in the first place. Vinnie shouldn't have told anyone, end of story. Why out of all people to tell, he chose Jack, who everyone knows hates me, is beyond my understanding. I consider he might have told him to get Jack to pity me. I feel nauseous just thinking that might be the reason. I hate being pitied, even worse, by people who once disliked me.

"How bad was it?" I force myself to ask.

"Bad. Vinnie accidentally pushed Jack to the vase in the living room and it broke. And Vinnie said he's moving out." Ryland answers and I feel myself become green with nausea.